If you've been running a web portal of your own for some time, chances are you're starting to think about creating a custom theme to stand out from the crowd. Although premium themes and frameworks will take you far, there is nothing like having a theme developed to your exact requirements.
You may have manipulated a theme to make it look the way you want, but there can almost always be something that is not quite right. Customizations you make to an existing theme will almost never make your web portal look exactly the way you want it to.
The problem is usually that you are too busy running the site. You don't have the time or patience to learn to code or make those changes on your own. Instead of being stuck with the WordPress development aspect, why not take the sensible approach and hire a WordPress theme developer to create a custom theme for you.
Decisions to make before hiring a developer
There are a couple of things to choose from before you start looking for a developer to create your custom theme.
First of all: you must choose whether you are going to find someone to design and develop your theme, or if you are going to separate that work into its two distinct parts.
Not all developers will go through the entire procedure of creating a theme. A developer is much more likely to take a PSD file of the finished design and create a functional theme from it.
I would recommend dividing the project into separate design and development stages. This allows you to find people who specialize in every aspect. You can work with a designer to create the look of your theme down to the smallest detail, where you can offer constructive and qualified advice.
Once you've completed your theme design, you can pass it on to a developer whose sole goal is to turn that design into a functional theme. This frees them from any discussion and design decisions to focus on what they do best.
Second, and probably most important, you need to know what you want from a new topic. There is no point getting into this without a clear idea of how you want your web portal to look and work.
The details may change as you discuss the topic with a designer, but the main look, feel, and function alternatives for the site should be clear in your mind from the start.
Find theme developers
Once you have a complete PSD file of your site design, you can now start looking for someone to put it all together for you.
There are several places you can go to find a developer to get the job done. One of the best places to start is to ask the designer you worked with if they can recommend someone.
It is very common for designers and developers to work together and recommend each other to clients. If your designer has someone you trust to do a good job, then it is important to talk to them. They may not be ideal to work with, but since they already come with a recommendation from someone you trust, you can skip over a number of potential pitfalls.
Another alternative to finding a developer is to use one of the bidding sites, such as Upwork. Or you can try Envato's latest service-based site, Envato Studio. These sites are not great for finding high-quality developers, as most people abandon them once they build a decent portfolio of work. Nonetheless, you are likely to find a new developer who wants to build a portfolio, and they'll get the job done a lot cheaper than you'd expect elsewhere. Personally, I would avoid this option, but if you are working on a tight budget it may be a good solution for you.
Another simple but effective alternative is to do a Google search for WordPress developers in your area. It really can be that simple. You will find a multitude of people who can get the job done, and using someone locally may be a better option for you than someone in another country.
The local option potentially allows you to meet the person, or at least speak to them on the phone at regular intervals throughout the project. You may not find the most talented developer for the job if you use someone local, but that can be offset by your ability to have a face-to-face conversation with them. It really depends on what makes you feel most comfortable executing the project.
Select your theme developer
Once you have a selection of developers, you will need to choose how to narrow that selection down to the person you will be working with.
You need to make sure that they are capable of doing the job and that it is easy to work with them. The fastest way to do this is to consult your web portal. A developer's web portal should look professional and impress you. If they have a bad web portal, why would you trust them to do a good job with yours?
You should be able to find a portfolio of past clients on your site, and ideally, customer testimonials. It is much easier to trust someone who has proven they can do the job and has several clients who recommend it.
That is not to say that a developer who do not having these things is not a good thing. It's basically a lot easier to hire someone who has addressed your initial competition questions even before you ask them.
Establishment of project guidelines and contract
Once you've decided on your developer, you need to set the project and milestones in writing. Never start a job like this without a contract and rate agreement. Never.
It's a good idea to determine certain things in writing before you begin so that both you and the developer know what is expected of each of you.
There are a few things to include in any guideline and contract you have.
- The full project fee and how that fee is broken down (progress / milestones / etc.)
- Testing and review requirements for the topic before it goes live
- That the project is a commissioned work and that you retain all copyrights
- Methods and frequency of communication (email / phone / in person)
- Estimated time for project completion
There may be other things specific to you or specific to the developer that need to be included in the contract. The thing to remember is that this is a business arrangement and you should make it as specific or relaxed as you need it to be.
Finding and working with a good developer doesn't have to be a difficult or troublesome prospect. There are hundreds of great developers out there. You want to work with someone talented, but more than that, you want to work with someone who is trustworthy and a pleasure to deal with.
No matter how talented a developer is, if he can't meet a deadline or is horrible to work with, you will regret using them.
When you find a developer who does a great job and works well with you, stick with him for other projects. Recommend them to your friends and others on your network when looking for developers. If you can build a good bond with someone, you will likely go one step further to help them, which can only improve your work.
Have you created a custom theme for your web portal? How did you find a developer and what tips and recommendations do you have for the procedure? We'd love to hear from you in the comments below.
